The Public Health Agency (PHA) has urged parents to take up the offer of the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine for their daughters following a fall in uptake.
The vaccine, which reduces the risk of cervical cancer, is routinely offered to girls in Years 9 and 10 in schools across Northern Ireland.
Dr Lucy Jessop, consultant in health protection at the PHA, said latest figures showed a reduction in the levels of uptake of the vaccine, although it remains relatively high compared with other jurisdictions.
She said: ‘With women in Northern Ireland having a one in 10 chance of being diagnosed with changes to the cervix, which can lead to cervical cancer, we want parents to see this vaccine as a simple step that could save their daughter’s life further down the line, as it can reduce the risk of getting cervical cancer by over 70%.’
Each year, around 90 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in Northern Ireland, with an average of 22 women dying from the disease.
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